TEAM QUEST RULES 2016
86. Age Categories for Teams
There are two age categories:
• BYRDS Team – all riders up to the end of the year of their 25th birthday.
• Open Team – riders of any age.
87. Membership
All team members must have a minimum of a Quest Club membership (or any other paid category
of BD membership).
All horses must have a minimum of a FREE associate horse registration – this can be done online.
88. Team Composition
a) Teams can be made of a minimum of three and maximum of four different riders.
b) Teams must register their team name and its members with British Dressage. The name chosen
must not have been used before. Each team must nominate a Team Captain who will be the point of
contact for the team. Each team must nominate which region they are competing for.
c) Additional reserve riders/horses can be registered to a team up to a maximum of seven riders with
unlimited horses. If the composition of the team changes (e.g. a rider or horse drops out), changes
to the team must be registered with BD by the day of the qualifying competition.
d) All teams must be made up of a unique combination of members; i.e. no two teams may have the
exact same composition at any time.
e) A team may only be represented once per competition day. i.e. a team may not compete at two
different competitions on the same day.
f) Horses/ponies can be ridden twice on the same team if ridden by two different riders. A
horse/pony cannot compete in more than two tests per competition day. A rider may not ride more
than once for a team (i.e. one rider with two horses).
g) A combination may compete for a team only once per Team Quest competition day. If a
combination competes for a second team they must ride at a different level and must specify this to
the organiser when making their entry.
h) If My Quest classes are offered by organisers Team Quest competitors may compete in these
classes but they won't count towards Team Quest scores.
i) Teams can be made up of riders competing in any level of test (i.e. a team of four Intro riders or
four Elementary riders, or any combination of each of the levels available).
89. Eligibility to compete
a) Team Quest is a BD governed competition and as such will run according to BD rules and
regulations including horse welfare and any veterinary regulations.
b) A minimum of three combinations must ride down the centre line in order for the team receive
ranking points.
c) Riders can choose which level they ride at, providing that all combinations are eligible for the
Bronze section at Introductory, Preliminary, Novice or Elementary Bronze respectively in
accordance with BD rules; the table below shows which levels horses and rider may compete in.
d) Combinations starting the Team Quest competition season within the points limits specified
above who subsequently upgrade during the Team Quest season will remain eligible to compete at
the Team Quest Regional and National Finals, but will no longer be permitted to compete in the
regular Team Quest qualifying classes at that level. Except for rule 89 f) below.
e) Should a team composition change due to horse/rider eligibility the team must be recomposed to
include combinations that are eligible.
f) Riders who during the Team Quest season upgrade to a rider group higher than 5 will no longer be
eligible to compete at any Team Quest competition (including finals).
g) Horses and ponies of any height are eligible for all levels/team categories but must be 4 years old
or over.
h) BD points will not be allocated for any Team Quest competition, including Regional and National
Team Quest finals.
i) A team can compete in any TQ competition in any region, but their points based on the placing at
the competition will be allocated to the team’s regional leader board.
j) A combination competing at Introductory level that achieves 70% or more in two Team Quest
competitions must move up to a higher level, excluding riders under the age of 14 (to the end of the
year of their 13th birthday) and para riders in grades I and II.
k) A combination competing at Preliminary level that achieves 70% or more in three Team Quest
competitions must move up to a higher level, excluding riders under the age of 14 (to the end of the
year of their 13th birthday).
l) A combination competing at Novice level that achieves 70% or more in five Team Quest
competitions must move up to a higher level, excluding riders under the age of 14 (to the end of the
year of their 13th birthday).
m) Once a combination has ridden at a higher level in Team Quest competitions and achieved 70%
or more they may not go back and compete at a lower level; e.g. a combination that has achieved
71% at Prelim may not compete at Intro in further qualifiers.
n) All riders and horses who take part in the Team Quest Regional and National Finals must have
taken part in at least one qualifying competition for that team.
90. Qualifying Period
Team Quest Qualifying competitions to take place from 1 February to 31 August.
Eight Regional Finals to take place in September/October.
The National Final to take place in November.
91. Regional Rankings and Regional Finals
Each of the eight BD regions will have its own Team Quest leader board. Teams can compete in any
Team Quest competition in any region, but their points based on their placing at the competition
will be allocated to the team’s regional leader board.
Points at each competition will be allocated according to team placings, as follows:
Teams lower than 10th place will not receive any points.
The regional rankings are based on points and will only take into account the five best placings for
each team. In the event of a tie of points where both teams have competed five times or more,
regardless of the amount of competitions they have competed at, a tie will be split by calculating
the total team percentages achieved at each of the team’s top five placings.
If there is still a tie, the sixth best placing and score for each team will determine which team takes
the lead. If a tie still remains, the seventh, eighth, etc best placing and score will determine the
team placing until the tie is broken.
In case of equality of points before five results have been achieved, points accumulated over fewer
events will determine a higher placing than points gained over more events. For example, a team
earning 30 points in three competitions will go ahead of a team that has earned 30 points across five
competitions.
If there is still equality of placing, the individual percentages contributing to the team total at each
show will be added together. The higher total of such percentages will take the lead.
At the end of the qualifying period a Regional Final will be held in each of the eight regions. The top
fifteen teams from each section (BYRDS & Open) within the region will qualify for the respective
Regional Final. Teams must compete in the Regional Final within the region which they have
nominated to ride in.
92. Qualification for the National Final
The top three teams from each section (BYRDS & Open) from each of the eight regional finals will
qualify for the Team Quest National Final. If a team is unable to attend the final the place will be
allocated to the next team from the same region.
93. Dressage tests
Tests will be run in short or long arenas. Organisers can choose any of the tests in current use for the
level. Each competition will hold one test from each level.
94. Saddlery and dress
a) BD rules will apply with regards to saddlery and horse equipment. Numnahs/saddle cloths may be
of any colour.
b) BD rider dress rules are relaxed for Team Quest. Safety is paramount, so protective headgear
must be worn, in accordance with BD rules.
c) Jackets are not compulsory. Teams are encouraged to wear smart casual ‘team colours’ of their
choice, excluding fancy dress.
d) Footwear needs to be safe (i.e. a small heel and clearance each side of the stirrup) and may be
long or short boots, with or without gaiters. Breeches/Jodhpurs can be of any colour.
e) Horses may be plaited; however, it is not compulsory, and may not be decorated other than via
permitted tack (e.g. diamante or coloured browbands).
f) Boots and bandages are not permitted during the test, in accordance with BD rules.
g) Commanders and whips will be allowed at all levels and in the Regional and National Finals.